Northrop Grumman Corp. engineers in Palmdale are building the X-47B pilotless combat plane that can autonomously take off from an aircraft carrier, attack an enemy target and return to the ship, all controlled by a pre-programmed computer on the aircraft.

Northrop Grumman Corp. engineers in Palmdale are building the X-47B pilotless combat plane that can autonomously take off from an aircraft carrier, attack an enemy target and return to the ship, all controlled by a pre-programmed computer on the aircraft. (Northrop Grumman Corp.)